Social Worker-Inpatient Mental Health

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major duties include but are not limited to the following: Primary Clinical Duties: Direct patient care and consultation services of difficult or complex cases. Interacts and works with clinicians from other disciplines as a member of a multidisciplinary treatment team. Skillful in interpersonal relationships including conflict resolution and the ability to work collaboratively with staff from other professions. Determines patients' need for evaluation, diagnostic procedures, individual and group psychotherapy, and case management. Provides a full range of comprehensive, efficacious, and evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions, including individual, couples, family, and group psychotherapy, as well as interview based and psychological testing-based assessments as approved and credentialed. Responsible for timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by the VAMC for Veterans for whom the incumbent provides services. The social worker will perform all other duties assigned by the Program Manager, Inpatient Mental Health, even though they may not be outlined above, as long as he or she can do so without violating ethical standards and are approved, credentialed, and privileged. Clinical Administrative Duties: Determines and provides the proper documents to facilitate the admission, either through the petition processes or through voluntary admission. Files all required documentation with the correct Probate Court in a timely manner. Represents the interests of the Medical Center Director or his or her Designee when interacting with outside entities engaged in the commitment processes. Regularly communicates via telephone and e-mail with the Michigan Probate Court staff to verify receipt of required documentation and confirm the details of the impending hearings. Prepares and tests the electronic audio/visual equipment in the for commitment hearings. Coordinates notifications of commitment hearings with the Veteran, Probate Court staff, lay witnesses, expert witnesses, court appointed attorney, and any other applicable parties. Regularly meets with patients to provide copies of legal filings, explains commitment processes, and reviews the Patient Rights as described in the Michigan Mental Health Code. Regularly meets with Inpatient Mental Health treatment teams to review clinical status of involuntary patients prior to hearing and to determine appropriate length of admission allowed under Michigan Mental Health Code. Tracks status of commitment orders entered for patients admitted to Inpatient Mental Health to assure secondary or continuing petitions are filed in a timely manner. Represents the clinical interests of the treatment team at pre-hearing meetings. Coordinates with Utilization Management to verify files of incoming transfers of patients. Maintains hard copies and electronic files in the electronic health record for tracking Inpatient Mental Health admissions. Assures all necessary witnesses are contacted, briefed, and present for commitment hearings. Prepares the Demands for Hearing, Orders of Noncompliance, Notification of Hospitalization, pcm-216 Alternative Treatment Orders, pleading and files with Probate Court. Prepares the Stipulations for Court Ordered Treatment pleading, with the court-appointed attorney. Work Schedule: Tuesday - Saturday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on p…

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education. Have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Graduates of schools of social work that are in candidacy status do not meet this requirement until the School of Social Work is fully accredited. A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's degree in social work. Licensure. Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-0185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. Exception. VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations. This exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level. For the GS-11 grade level and above, the candidate must be licensed or certified. At the time of appointment, the supervisor, chief social work or social work executive will provide the unlicensed/uncertified social worker with the written requirements for licensure or certification, including the time by which the license or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed or certified by the deadline. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: Social Worker, GS-9 Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to utilize a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans, their family members, caregivers, and survivors. Ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, and to formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying the Veterans problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and assistance needed. Ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups to achieve treatment goals. This requires judgment and skill in utilizing supportive, problem solving, or crisis intervention techniques. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. Fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures. This includes acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries; common medications and their effects/side effects; and medical terminology. Social Worker, GS-11 Experience and Licensure. Appointment to the GS-11 grade level requires completion of a minimum of one year of post-MSW experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the field of health care or other social work-related settings, (VA or non- VA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level. Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Working under close supervision in program areas that do not require specialized knowledge or experience. Identifying behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect or exploitation; providing education on advance directives and advanced care planning; providing social work case management; acting as…

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.